Spadea is done with ‘Market Price Sustainable Crabs’
We had a very nice dinner at a local steakhouse with friend over the weekend.
Now, I knew going in it would be more expensive than your average restaurant. That said, I've learned a lesson that I should have learned decades ago.
When they offer anything at "Market Price" it's going to be super expensive. It's on me, the crab leg appetizer looked great and I love crab meat.
I thought it would be rude to ask.
What's the old saying? "If you have to ask, you can't afford it." Well, I should have asked. And yes, I would have ordered something else.
Sticker shock and the myth of “sustainability”
That said, the bigger issue is how they justify the price. There is a perception that, over centuries of fishing, and now with commercial fisheries bringing in millions of pounds, we are led to believe that ocean life is being depleted.
For some perspective, more than 160 million pounds of blue crabs are harvested annually by U.S. fisheries.
Just when you think that sounds like a lot, keep in mind there are trillions of crabs in the ocean, and no one knows for sure how many, and nearly 7,000 different species.
It's disingenuous to say that we need to have a more sustainable practice when it comes to harvesting crab legs for our dinner plates.
“Sustainable” crab harvesting or just price gouging?
What the wait staff explained to us is that the crabs are now pulled into the boat, one leg is pulled off and the disabled crab is tossed back into the drink.
They called it sustainable. I call it a fear-mongering tactic to jack up the price.
So I'm out. No more "market price" dinners for me. Actually, I'm off crab meat altogether for the near future.
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Gallery Credit: Jen Ursillo
The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own.
